Railway car bogie

ABSTRACT

In a multi-axle bogie for high-speed railway vehicles, the braking forces, and/or propulsion forces, exerted between the vehicle body and track are transmitted from the vehicle body to the bogie by a pair of parallel links connected to a crossbar, all lying substantially in the plane of the wheel axles so that substantially no turning movement is produced to cause galloping, or chattering, of the bogie.

O United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,884,157 Pelabon 1 May 20, 1975 15 RAILWAY CAR BOGlE 5,55,: 3/1322 \lglaliivogel et al. 18213311:

.1 ug er [751 lnvemo Pans France 3,150,612 9/1964 Schwarzweber 105/199 R 3 Assigneez ANF Frangec0 SA. Courb6v0ie, 3,557,709 1/1971 Hilfing et a1. 105/199 R France Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. [22] Flled' 1973 Assistant Examiner-Howard Beltran [2]] Appl. No.: 350,804

[57] ABSTRACT R; 1 5 2 1 [52] U S C] 52 8 25 0 5 In a multl-axle bogie for high-speed railway vehicles, [5 1 Int Cl B61f3/08,B6lf 5/20, 1336M 5/24 the braking forces, and/or propulsion forces, exerted [58] Fie'ld {05/199 R R 200 between the vehicle body and track are transmitted 1 5 from the vehicle body to the bogie by a pair of parallel links connected to a crossbar, all lying substantially in [56] References Cited the plane of the wheel axles so that substantially no turning movement is produced to cause galloping, or UNITED STATES PATENTS chattering of the bogie. 2,034,504 3/1936 Bugatti 105/199 R X 2,096,005 10/1937 Piron 105/199 R 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 16 II 15 l9 l5 I6 RAILWAYCAR BOGIE The present invention concerns a unit of railway rolling stock, and specifically a power bogie, designed to be coupled to the body of a vehicle for transmitting propulsion and/or braking forces to the vehicle, particularly in the case of high-speed vehicles.

So far, power bogies have been built with the following known features:

A bolster beam is mounted in a pivoting position on the bogie chassis between the axles. and supports the body by means of springs supported by the bodys extremities.

Traction power is transmitted to the body by connecting rods, one on either side of the bolster beam, which connect the latter to the body.

The traction rods are located high above the track, a fact that, because of the application'of traction forces to the bogie at a high level. makes the front part of the bogie tilt upward and its rear part tilt downward. This revolving motion around the transverse axis at the point at which the rods are connected to the bolster beam triggers a galloping motion of the bogie. By the same token, when the brakes are applied, there is a turning movement of force produced which acts in the opposite direction, to induce a galloping, or chattering, action.

The body usually rests on the bolster beam of the bogie via a secondary suspension consisting of helicoidal steel springs.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a bogie specifically adapted to a railway vehicle having a design which permits high-speed operation without the drawbacks listed above.

As provided by the invention, the bogie chassis is in the shape of an H, a special feature consisting in the fact that there is a central open area between two lateral branches connecting the side frame members.

This design makes it possible to use helicoidal spring suspensions equipped with an inner rubber lining located on either side of the longitudinal axis of the bogie chassis and in the center of the wheel base, and achieves the suspension of the bogie body without the intermediary of a bogie bolster beam.

This design ensures improved stability of the vehicle on its bogies. This results from the high support planes of the secondary lateral suspension springs in the body.

In addition, this design also facilitates the incorporation of an inclination correcting system into the bogie.

The railcar body is propelled by connecting rods, or links, attached to a crossbar at the level of the axle plane. This crossbar is connected to the body pivot by a rubber insert.

This design fosters an improved distribution of the adherence of the power bogie.

The arrangement of the bogie chassis according to the invention allows the use of supporting beams fixed to the bogie chassis, on which are located the solidforged disc brakes.

A clearer understanding of the invention is provided by the description that follows, and by a scrutiny of the accompanying drawings, which show, as a nonlimitative example, a preferred form of bogie for a highspeed railway vehicle constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of bogie constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the bogie of FIG. 1, and;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section, taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2. I

In the drawings, numeral 10 indicates generally a main frame for a railway bogie which consists of a pair of side members 11 provided at their extremities with journal means for the ends ofa pair of axles 12 carrying the track-engaging wheels 13. At medial locations along their lengths the side members are connected together by a pair of spaced transverse beams 14 so that the bogie frame as a whole resembles an H. These beams support the actuator means 1-5 for a set of clasp type brake shoes 16 as well as the operating mechanisms 17 for a pair of disc brakes 18 mounted on each axle.

Positioned on top of each side member 11, at its midpoint is a cusioning means, indicated generally by numeral 19, each of which consists of an elongated cylindrical block 20 of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, having an open core 21, surrounded by a helicoidal metal spring 22. One end of the resilient block 20 and coil spring 22 is supported on a cup-shaped base 23, resting on a collar 24 welded to the side member. The other end of the block and coil spring is received within a cup-shaped cap 25 contained within a downwardly and outwardly flaring protective shroud 26, and the cap and shroud are rigidly secured to the under frame 27 of the railway vehicle (not shown). In the basic form of the invention the base 23 is Welded to the collar 24, or otherwise fixedly secured to the side member 11 so that relative movement between the bogie and car in a vertical direction takes place by axial deformation in contraction and expansion of the elastomeric block 20 and metal coil 22, while any horizontal displacement between the bogie and car caused by irregularities in track alignment or rotation occurring when rounding a curve, is effected by a twisting, or bending, deformation of elements 20 and 22, as exemplified by the dotted line positions in FIG. 2. While only one position of deformation is shown, it should be evident that, in the absence of any other restraint, the angular direction of possible displacement extends throughout the entire horizontal arc of 360.

However, for all practical purposes, it is essential to prevent any fore-and-aft displacement of the bogie as a whole with respect to the vehicle sothat when the brakes are applied, the decelerating force of the wheels will be transmitted to the car body. Similarly, if the bogie is a driving bogie, having power driven wheels, the propulsion force must be transmitted to the vehicle.

Lateral displacement of the bogie can be limited by the attachment of a pair of oppositely disposed resilient bumpers 36, mounted on brackets 37, so that they will come into abutting engagement with an element depending from the underframe of the vehicle in the event of excessive sidewise displacement of the bogie.

Fore-and-aft displacement of the bogie 'in the direction of travel with respect to the vehicle is restricted by a pivot means, indicated generally by numeral 28, which confines such displacement to rotation about a central vertical axis which lies in a vertical axis transverse to the direction of travel of the bogie while permitting side-to-side displacement and tilting motions about a horizontal axis parallel to the direction of travel. The spring suspension system described above is more fully described and claimed in my copending application, Ser. No. 350,805 filed concurrently with this application.

A downwardly projecting tapered pivot pin 29 is bolted to the underframe 27 at the midpoint of the body, to which a transverse crossarm 30 is attached, as by means of an elastomeric body, or sleeve 31, bonded to both the pin and crossarm to allow a certain amount of relative movement in all directions between the two members.

At the extremities of the crossarm, and equidistant from the centeripivot, a pair of pivot pins 32 are inserted, each of which is connected to one end of a pair of parallel, oppositely extending, links 33 by means of bonded elastomeric inserts. The other ends of these links are similarly connected by elastomeric inserts to a pair of pivot pins 34 which are respectively inserted in housings 35, each formed in a respective one of the beams 14 disposed at an elevation such that the links 33 lie substantially at all times in the horizontal plane of the axes of rotation of the four wheels 13.

Thus, it will be realized that the bogie as a whole is restrained against any movement relative to the car body in a horizontal direction normal to a vertical plane passing through the central pivot axis 29 and also normal to the direction of movement of the bogie. At the same time the use of rubber, or elastomeric, inserts in the pivotal connections for the links and crossarm does permit a limited amount of rotation of the bogie about the central vertical axis and also a limited amount of canting, or tilting, of the car body with respect to the track. Finally, the arrangement of the force transmitting links 33 does not place any restriction on side-to-side horizontal displacement of the body with respect to the vehicle; such displacement is controlled.

by the bending of the cushioning means 19, and is limited by the resilient bumpers 36, mounted on brackets 37 extending between beams 14 so as to abut against opposite sides of a depending portion 38 of the car frame.

The advantages obtained by placing the forcetransmitting links 33 in the plane of the wheel axles is, that whenever the brakes are applied, the deceleration force is transmitted in a straight line to the car pivot pin 29 and no bending is developed in the bogie frame which might cause it to gallop. This is also true when the bogie is modified for use as a driving bogie so long as the driving force from the prime mover is applied directly to the axles or wheels. Arrangements for driving the bogie wheels are well known in the art, and one specific apparatus for accomplishing this is shown in my copending application, Ser. No. 350,806 filed concurrently with this application. In that case, power is transmitted by a shaft from the engine in the car to a mechanical transmission attached to one of the axles 12, the other axle being provided with a similar gearing arrangement connected to the first one by an auxiliary shaft which passes through the opening 39 provided in the car bolster.

I claim:

1. In a system for transmitting forces between a railway car and a bogie which supports said car, the combination including a rigid bogie frame means including a pair of side members and including means to rotatably support at least two pairs of track-engaging wheels, a vertical pivot element fixedly attached to and projecting downwardly from the underside of the car and located along the longitudinal centerline thereof, a horizontal transverse crossbar pivotally joined to said vertical pivot element at the midpoint of the crossbar to constrain longitudinal displacement of the bogie with respect to the car while permitting lateral and rotational displacement, the extremities of said crossbar being respectively pivotally connected to one end of each of a pair of force transmitting links disposed generally horizontally in the direction of movement of the bogie, the other ends of said links being respectively pivotally connected to said bogie frame means, and resilient means connected between said side members of the bogie frame means and said car to support the weight of the car and to limit said lateral and rotational displacement of the bogie with respect to the car, said crossbar and said force transmitting links being disposed generally in the horizontal plane of the rotational axes of said wheels.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said force transmitting links extend away from said crossbar in opposite directions.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said pivotal connections between said links, said crossbar, and the frame ofa railway car include bearing elements composed of elastomeric material.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said railway car includes a transverse bolster means and said vertical pivot element comprises a pin secured to said bolster means, said pin being received in an opening of greater diameter than the pin provided in said crossbar, and an annular elastomeric bearing element disposed between, and bonded to, said pin and the inner surface of the opening.

5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein said pin is downwardly and inwardly tapered.

6. The invention according to claim 4, wherein each of the pivotal connections at the ends of said force transmitting links comprises an elastomeric bearing insert. 

1. In a system for transmitting forces between a railway car and a bogie which supports said car, the combination including a rigid bogie frame means including a pair of side members and including means to rotatably support at least two pairs of trackengaging wheels, a vertical pivot element fixedly attached to and projecting downwardly from the underside of the car and located along the longitudinal centerline thereof, a horizontal transverse crossbar pivotally joined to said vertical pivot element at the midpoint of the crossbar to constrain longitudinal displacement of the bogie with respect to the car while permitting lateral and rotational displacement, the extremities of said crossbar being respectively pivotally connected to one end of each of a pair of force transmitting links disposed generally horizontally in the direction of movement of the bogie, the other ends of said links being respectively pivotally connected to said bogie frame means, and resilient means connected between said side members of the bogie frame means and said car to support the weight of the car and to limit said lateral and rotational displacement of the bogie with respect to the car, said crossbar and said force transmitting links being disposed generally in the horizontal plane of the rotatiOnal axes of said wheels.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said force transmitting links extend away from said crossbar in opposite directions.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said pivotal connections between said links, said crossbar, and the frame of a railway car include bearing elements composed of elastomeric material.
 4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said railway car includes a transverse bolster means and said vertical pivot element comprises a pin secured to said bolster means, said pin being received in an opening of greater diameter than the pin provided in said crossbar, and an annular elastomeric bearing element disposed between, and bonded to, said pin and the inner surface of the opening.
 5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein said pin is downwardly and inwardly tapered.
 6. The invention according to claim 4, wherein each of the pivotal connections at the ends of said force transmitting links comprises an elastomeric bearing insert. 